


Not All Lies Are False

by Azulet



Series: Friendships [17]
Category: The Huntsman (Movies)
Genre: Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship, Best Friends, Canon Universe, Castles, Communication, Confusion, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Families of Choice, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Lack of Communication, Late Night Conversations, Late at Night, Love, Male-Female Friendship, Missing Scene, Misunderstandings, No Romance, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Platonic Kissing, Platonic Relationships, Relationship Discussions, Relationship(s), True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-28
Updated: 2017-11-28
Packaged: 2019-02-08 03:11:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12855486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azulet/pseuds/Azulet
Summary: Snow finds The Huntsman and asks him the question that's been bothering her since the fighting stopped.





	Not All Lies Are False

**Author's Note:**

> This is set after the battle for Snow's castle, but before her coronation.

“It was you, wasn’t it?”

It was more of statement then a question.

The Huntsman glanced up from the axe he had been sharpening. Snow White stood in the doorway, her face backlit by the torches in the corridor. The room he had found to use as his temporary quarters was small, tucked away in a side corridor, and now that night was falling, torches were the only source of light.

She stepped through the door and awkwardly leaned against the wall opposite him. The Huntsman had piled his gear in a corner, and there was no bed in the room, but despite that, there still wasn’t much space.

“What was me?” he asked, setting aside the axe he had been sharpening and getting to his feet, staring down at the girl before him. Her face was an odd mix of determination, fear, and uncertainty. She had changed out of her armor into a plain grey dress, but there were still scratches on her face and forearms.

“The –” Snow started, stopped, then tried again. “The kiss that woke me up. It was you, wasn’t it?”

The Huntsman stilled, keeping his expression neutral. “And why’d you think that?”

A small frown slipped into her expression, but she answered his question. “They said while I was…asleep in the castle, you were the only one that visited me.”

“What makes you so sure it was a kiss that woke you?”

“True love’s kiss,” she said quietly, not meeting his eyes, “Breaks any curse.”

He hummed noncommittally. “So that’s your question, Princess? Did I kiss you and wake you up?”

She nodded. “Did you?”

The Huntsman sighed. “Listen, Princess, I –”

“Yes or no?”

“Yes.”

Snow slumped back against the wall, her expression not sure which emotion to settle on.

“Princess, listen,” he crouched down next to her and waited until she met his eyes.

“I like you. You’re kind, and you’re brave – hell, you’re braver than most of the grown men I’ve met – but whatever woke you wasn’t True Love.”

“And how would you know that?” she snapped.

“I don’t love you.” The Huntsman ignored the twinge of guilt he felt at his own words. They were true, but the pain in Snow’s eyes was evident.

“Oh,” she breathed, “Yes. I suppose…yes.”

He reached out, and gently, cautiously, took one of her delicate hands in his own.

“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t ever love you that way,” The Huntsman, trying to make her understand, “You’re the first one is a long while to treat me like a person, you reminded me not to give up on life, and for that you’ll always be my friend. But I cannot love you the way a husband should.”

“I understand,” she said, smiling at him, “I do _love_ you, but it’s not…I’m not _in love_ with you.”

Snow laughed. “Does that make any sense?”

 “Yes,” The Huntsman nodded, “That’s what I’m trying to say.”

**Author's Note:**

> I really liked the movie, but the whole "True Love's Kiss" thing bothered me. I think they love each other - as is likely to happen if you're forced to depend on someone for your very survival (and for Snow, he's probably the first person she's actually had a conversation with in quiet a while) - but I DO NOT think they have a romantic relationship. The movie left it kind of open ended, but I wanted to add this story to make it definitively platonic (for those who choose to read this story and interpret their relationship that way, of course). 
> 
> The name of this came from the idea that there are different ways to love people, so you can love someone but not be in love with them ("I don't love you" can have different meanings).


End file.
